Other Herbivores of LTL
Camptosaurus dispar Length: 26 ft (7.9 m) Height: 8 ft (2.4 m) Weight: 1 ton Camptosaurus is a medium-sized dinosaur, with stout hind limbs, a large, deep body, and beaked upper and lower jaws. Its arms are strong and it has five fingers on each hand- three of which end with hooves- and the thumb is a small, spur-like spike. Camptosaurus is mostly quadrupedal although it can rear up onto its hind legs to graze higher or to run. It lives in forest edges where it feeds on low to medium-growing vegetation (when standing on its hind legs it can reach the lower leaves on trees), and it lives either alone or in groups of up to five animals. Camptosaurus’ mooing calls are distinctive- being similar to that of cows but about half an octave lower in tone. They are often preyed upon by Ceratosaurus and other small-medium sized forest dwelling carnivores. Coloration and sexual differences The adults of both sexes are a dull, almost grayish green, with nearly perfectly circular spots of a lighter yellow-green dotting their sides, and forest green striping on the neck, tail and lower parts of the limbs. The juveniles of both sexes are a dull grey all over. Dryosaurus altus Length: 11 ft (3.4 m) Height: 5.2 ft (1.6 m) Weight: 195 lb (88.5 kg) Dryosaurus is a small, active herbivore which inhabits broken plains with few trees. The adults are strictly bipedal, however the juveniles can walk on all fours. Dryosaurs are adept runners, capable of running at speeds of up to 50 mph on their long hind legs, its body counterbalanced by its long tail. Dryosaurs have well-developed senses for detecting danger. Dryosaurs aren’t particularly social, although they are often found together in loose feeding groups, often close to larger ornithopods (the Dryosaurs often feed on the plant matter which are knocked loose by the larger herbivores). Each animal in the group looks out for danger, however individuals tend not to interact with one another unless it is the breeding season. During the breeding season, multiple feeding groups congregate together on the Game Trail, where the mating and egg-laying occurs. Males fight one another over females by engaging in kicking battles- in which the males face one another, lean on one foot and then lash out with the other. These contests last but a few minutes in order to avoid serious injury from the animal’s powerful hindlimbs. Dryosaurus is a common herbivore on Isla Sorna due to their high birth and fast growth rates. Even so, their numbers are kept in check by the carnivores of the island. Dryosaurs have no defences other than to run, however a captured animal may kick out with its strong hind legs in an attempt to free itself. Coloration and sexual differences The adults and juveniles of both sexes are a near-uniform almost-black, with barely perceptible lighter markings apparent upon closer inspection- much like the “black panther” coloration of the jaguar. Heterodontosaurus tucki Length: 4 ft (1.2 m) Height: 1. 6 ft (0.5 m) Weight: 42 lb (19.1 kg) This unusual dinosaur is sometimes mistaken as an ornithopod due to its similarity to Hypsilophodon- while it is in fact only distantly related to these dinosaurs. Heterodontosaurus was one of the earliest plant-eating dinosaurs during its original timespan; however in a few respects it is quite advanced. For example, it has relatively complex teeth of three types- small chopping teeth at the front of the mouth, as well as larger, thicker teeth at the back- well suited for grinding plant matter. Finally, the most noteable teeth are its large, sharp “fangs”- two pairs of large tusks evident only in the male and few females. These tusks are used by males to impress members of the opposite sex- typically it is the male with the largest tusks who gets to mate with the females. Males will also use their tusks to fight one another to establish dominance and mating rights. Heterodontosaurs live in spread-out feeding groups anywhere with sufficient low-growing vegetation, and its diet consists of mostly twigs, leaves, plant stems, roots and fruit; which it handles with its chewing teeth. The animal’s fleshy cheeks keep the food from falling out of the mouth. These dinosaurs are always on the lookout for predators, and when attacked, they flee on their hind legs. Females and young are defenceless, however if a male is cornered by a predator similar to his size, he will attempt to fight back by biting with his fangs. Coloration and sexual differences Both Sexes of adults and juveniles are a sandy brown with darker brown bands on the tail, dark brown ring-like spots on the side, and small dark brown stripes on the front most half of each limb. Only the adult males possess tusks; however a few females may have a smaller version. Hypsilophodon foxii Length: 6.5 ft (2 m) Height: 2 ft (0.6 m) Weight: 150 lb (68 kg) These small, skittish herbivores are fleet-footed and have keen senses. They are found either living alone or in small feeding groups with designated sentries keeping a lookout for danger. They feed on a variety of plants, preferably young shoots and roots, as well as the fallen leaves and fruits knocked loose by larger herbivorous dinosaurs as they browse. Hypsilophodon inhabit areas where there is sufficient brush- they hollow out large thickets, briar patches, and brambles in order to create a living area within where they store gathered food and also to sleep. This is much like the burrowing behavior of rabbits- this is done because Hypsilophodon are just about the bottom of the food chain on Isla Sorna, with even roaming troops of Compsognathus feeding on those which cannot escape. However Hypsilophodon has speed on its side, and may also find protection in the company of larger ornithopods such as Hadrosaurs and Iguanodon. Hypsilophodon are one of the fastest animals on the island, just behind Segisaurus, the two raptor subspecies and Gallimimus. When fleeing from predators, Hypsilophodon tends to run in a zigzag pattern in order to try and avoid the predator’s grasp similia to how antelopes in Africa avoid being taken down by cheetahs. Coloration and sexual differences Males are a medium green with indistinct black striping along the body, becoming more visible along the tail- the same as the modern green iguana. Females are a duller shade of green with the striping being somewhat brownish. The juveniles of both sexes are a bright shade of green with the striping being sharper and more visible- the same as a juvenile green iguana. Iguanodon bernissartensis Length: 33 ft (10.1 m) average; some individuals reaching lengths of 42.6 ft (13 m) Height: 16 ft average (4.9 m) Weight: 3.5 tons This large, powerful herbivore lives in large herds with a single alpha male in charge of a few other males, many females and young- females within the herd are subordinate to the males. Iguanodon are found in forests or plains dotted with trees, and they feed on a wide variety of vegetation which they chew with their grinding teeth. They can walk on all fours but can reach up and run on their hind legs. The Iguanodon’s hand is a specialized tool and is probably the animal’s most noteable feature. The three middle fingers are stout and joined together, forming hooves used for walking. The fifth finger is opposable and can curl around objects to grasp; and the thumb is modified into a huge spike- the Iguanodon’s main weapon. The male’s thumb spike is longer than the female’s, and females are typically drawn to the male with the longest thumb spike- the longer the spike, the more attractive the male is. Males compete in contests to establish dominance and mating rights within the herd. During these contests, the males show off their thumb spikes in wide stabbing motions, but both males are far enough apart so their thumb spikes cannot injure each other. However, if the contests become more intense, the males will move on to tackling one another- trying to drive their opponents to the ground. The winner will establish or retain his dominance over the herd. Iguanodon are generally peaceful animals, congregating with herds of other ornithopod dinosaurs such as Hadrosaurs and Hypsilophodon, however they are deadly when faced with predators. Most predators will only attempt to attack an adult Iguanodon from the sides, as their thumb spikes can leave deadly stabbing wounds. In addition, an Iguanodon may use its tail to knock a predator to the ground. Like hadrosaurs, Iguanodon nest in colonies and are very protective of their nests and young. Male Iguanodon make a lot more noise than the females and young- particularly during contests with other males, warning off predators, displaying to females, and keeping herd members in line. It is generally the dominant male which produces the loudest calls and makes the most noise. Iguanodon calls include deep roaring and bellowing, as well as snorts and grunts. Coloration and sexual differences Both sexes are a forest green with a lighter green belly and pink on the throat but not the back of the neck. Males are larger and more powerful than females, their pink throats are more vivid and their thumb spikes are longer. The juveniles of both sexes are a more vibrant version of the adults, although they lack the pink on the throat area. Muttaburrasaurus langdoni Length: 26 ft (7.9 m) Height: 10 ft (3 m) Weight: 4 tons Muttaburrasaurus is a large ornithopod similar to Iguanodon. Like Iguanodon, it is capable of walking on all fours and running on its hind legs; it has a toothless beak at the front of its mouth; and it has a five-fingered hand with three middle fingers for walking, a grasping fifth finger, and a thumb spike. However, there are several features which make the Muttaburrasaurus unique among its kind. For example, instead of grinding teeth as in Iguanodon, it has sharp, shearing teeth, which allows the animal to feed on much tougher vegetation. Muttaburrasaurus also has an enlarged, hollow, upward-bulging muzzle, which is covered with a layer of brightly-coloured skin that forms an inflateable sac. The animal uses its inflateable nasal chamber to amplify its calls, while displaying at the same time. Muttaburrasaurus are herd animals- their herds usually consist of several females and young, a few males, and a larger, dominant male. These dinosaurs dislike conditions that are too hot and humid, and so they prefer to live in the cool mountainous areas. They migrate seasonally from highland areas to lowland areas by following well-used routes- traveling in accordance to temperature. These dinosaurs will also bathe in water or mud if the heat becomes too uncomfortable. Muttaburrasaurus is herbivorous and favours leaves and tree bark. When faced with predators they will run away, however they can be very aggressive if cornered. Their deafening calls and brightly-coloured nasal sacs can be intimidating, and like Iguanodon, they will use their powerfully-muscled forearms to drive their thumb spikes deep into the attacker’s flesh, or swipe at a predator with their deep tails. Coloration and sexual differences Males are bright green with bright yellow underbellies and backs, and have a bright red and orange nasal chamber. Females are like the male, although their nasal chambers are yellow. Juveniles are the same as the male. Ouranosaurus nigeriensis Length: 24 ft (7.3 m) Height: 16.5 ft (5 m) Weight: 4 tons Ouranosaurus is related to Iguanodon and, more distantly, to the various hadrosaurs on Isla Sorna. Its head is longer than that of Iguanodon, and it has two bony bumps on its snout. Their tall vertebrae support not a fin, like in Spinosaurus, but rather a hump to store fat during lean times, much like a camel. An Ouranosaur can last nearly a year without food as long as it has a healthy storage of fat. Many carnivores know this, and whenever they see an Ouranosaur, even if they are not hungry, they don't hesitate to kill it and eat the hump first, even before the liver. Ouranosaurus also has a distinctive thumb spike, which is smaller than that of the Iguanodon’s. Contrary to most of their relatives, these animals are much less social, typically staying in small family groups secluded from other large herbivores. Because of this, they are a rare sight on the island, and are rarely found on the game trail itself, but rather in other open areas away from large herds of dinosaurs. Their distinct honking sounds are not dissimilar to those of a goose if it had grown to several tons in weight. They are typically timid, and will avoid conflict. The thumb spike on their front hands is much less useful than that of Iguanodon, and is rather a vestigial trait much like the tails of humans. Coloration and sexual differences Both sexes are a charcoal grey with indistinct pinkish striping in erratic patterns across its sides. Juveniles are a lighter grey with more visible pinkish striping in erratic patterns across its sides.